Meet Turunesh

from JAHAZI issue 06 - Kilimanjaro Fast Ferries, AZAM Marine

From dhows to designer furniture

New Tanzanian talent:

TURUNESH

Meet Turunesh, the self-styled ‘Swahili sex symbol’ whose latest release ‘Satin Cassette’ – a sultry slice of alternative Afropop – showcasews one of the hottest new artists on the continent.

Tanzanian singer-songwriter Turunesh is a versatile talent whose smooth and sexy music is a singular blend of neo-African soul and more traditional sounds. Towards the end of last year she released her second album, ‘Satin Cassette’. Tracks such as recent singles ‘Cigarette’ and ‘Rum and Butter’ are an unashamed celebration of sexual pleasure with the sultry voice of the self-proclaimed “Swahili sex symbol” and her hypnotic soundscapes combining to create a synaesthetic sensual experience. The Dar es Salaam singer got her first break as a 16-year-old performing at the city’s then regular showcase of emerging live music talent, ‘Alternative Nights’. Now in her early 20s, she has supported Afropop giants Burna Boy and Wizkid in Canada and is heading a wave of leftfield East African hitmakers with two EPs and two full albums released.

Turunesh also puts her own brave spin on traditional Tanzanian genres. In ‘Zanzibar Spice’, on the new album, she emulates taarab legend Bi Kidude, who she sees as paving the way for women such as herself to embrace their freedom of expression. The song makes coded references to the Swahili coming-of-age ritual of unyago in creating a modern anthem about women owning their sexuality.